| Philadelphia Saxophone Quartet |
The quartets repetoire includes both classic and jazz music incorporating many different styles and pieces from various
historical periods. The overall characteristic of the performing style of the quartet is pure expressive phrasing and attention to
detail in the style and inflection of the music being performed. Please page down to see bios of the current members, plus our
performance schedule.
Member Bios
Bill Holcombe, Soprano Saxophone
Bill is a master flutist, prolific on the clarinet and saxophone and is primarily known as an arranger and composer for concert
band, symphony orchestra as well as big bands. Bill majored in composition and musicology at the University of Pennsylvania.
Bill later majored in flute performance at Julliard where he studied with Arthur Lara, the first flute with the Metropolitan Opera
and later, principal flute with Toscanni and the NBC Symphony. In the late 1940s Bill was a reed player and staff arranger for
the Tommy Dorsey Band, and later with the legendary arranger Sy Oliver who was staff arranger for Decca Records. As a
Decca staff player, Bill had the opportunity to work with great artists, including Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis,
Pearl Bailey, the Mills Brothers, Steve Allen and Artie Shaw, among others. Later he became a staff musician at New York radio
station WMGM. In the late fifties and throughout the sixties, he wrote more than 15 film scores and arranged for the recording
orchestra 101 Strings. By the seventies, Bill had become of America's most published arrangers for concert band and
orchestra. During this time he also began his own publishing company, Musicians Publications. He later toured with Burt
Bacharach and played and arranged for Peter Nero and the Philly Pops.
John Bachallis, Alto Saxophone
John holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from the College of New Jersey, and the Master of Music degree in
Applied Saxophone from West Virginia University. He also studied clarinet, saxophone, music theory and arranging privately for
ten years after graduate school. He has over 33 years of experience teaching instrumental music in the public schools of New
Jersey, and as an adjunct teacher at the Lawrenceville School, where he was Director of the Jazz Ensemble and Instructor of
Woodwinds. John plays woodwinds professionally with many classical and pop musical groups for concerts, theatrical and
social events. He has performed with the Delaware Valley, Trenton, Rhode Island, Bridgeton and Allentown Symphonies, in
benefits for the Philadelphia Orchestra and Stamford Symphony, and in the orchestras behind Bob Hope, Carol Chaning, Rita
Moreno, Chita Rivera, Al Martino, The Temptations, Manhattan Transfer, John Popper, Harry James, Bobby Rydel, and many
others. He says “it is always a special honor and a pleasure to be able to perform with the veteran musicians of the
Philadelphia Saxophone Quartet. All of them have distinguished themselves in their learning and achievements within their art,
and have proven themselves countless times in front of audiences of all types of music.”
Warren Fioretti, Tenor Saxophone
Warren has earned respect among New Jersey professional musicians, both for his controlled classical playing and his great
sight-reading and jazz improvisation skills. He has performed with the bands of Les Elgart, Buddy Morrow, Nelson Riddle, Rob
Stoneback, and Brass Transit, and is currently also a member of the SaxPlus Saxophone Quartet, the Brookdale College Big
Band, the Lakewood Jazz Ensemble, and the Georgian Court College Wind Ensemble. Warren has recently appeared in the
backup bands for Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Bobby Shew, Arturo Sandoyal, Bill Watrous, Jeff Jarvis, and the Manhattan
Transfer. Not to ignore his "left-brained" side, Warren has run a successful consulting business as well, having earned his BS
and MS degrees in Mechanical Engineering from NJIT.
Performance Schedule (Updated 10/1/07)
11/10/07, Rhode Island Symphony, Providence, RI
historical periods. The overall characteristic of the performing style of the quartet is pure expressive phrasing and attention to
detail in the style and inflection of the music being performed. Please page down to see bios of the current members, plus our
performance schedule.
Member Bios
Bill Holcombe, Soprano Saxophone
Bill is a master flutist, prolific on the clarinet and saxophone and is primarily known as an arranger and composer for concert
band, symphony orchestra as well as big bands. Bill majored in composition and musicology at the University of Pennsylvania.
Bill later majored in flute performance at Julliard where he studied with Arthur Lara, the first flute with the Metropolitan Opera
and later, principal flute with Toscanni and the NBC Symphony. In the late 1940s Bill was a reed player and staff arranger for
the Tommy Dorsey Band, and later with the legendary arranger Sy Oliver who was staff arranger for Decca Records. As a
Decca staff player, Bill had the opportunity to work with great artists, including Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis,
Pearl Bailey, the Mills Brothers, Steve Allen and Artie Shaw, among others. Later he became a staff musician at New York radio
station WMGM. In the late fifties and throughout the sixties, he wrote more than 15 film scores and arranged for the recording
orchestra 101 Strings. By the seventies, Bill had become of America's most published arrangers for concert band and
orchestra. During this time he also began his own publishing company, Musicians Publications. He later toured with Burt
Bacharach and played and arranged for Peter Nero and the Philly Pops.
John Bachallis, Alto Saxophone
John holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from the College of New Jersey, and the Master of Music degree in
Applied Saxophone from West Virginia University. He also studied clarinet, saxophone, music theory and arranging privately for
ten years after graduate school. He has over 33 years of experience teaching instrumental music in the public schools of New
Jersey, and as an adjunct teacher at the Lawrenceville School, where he was Director of the Jazz Ensemble and Instructor of
Woodwinds. John plays woodwinds professionally with many classical and pop musical groups for concerts, theatrical and
social events. He has performed with the Delaware Valley, Trenton, Rhode Island, Bridgeton and Allentown Symphonies, in
benefits for the Philadelphia Orchestra and Stamford Symphony, and in the orchestras behind Bob Hope, Carol Chaning, Rita
Moreno, Chita Rivera, Al Martino, The Temptations, Manhattan Transfer, John Popper, Harry James, Bobby Rydel, and many
others. He says “it is always a special honor and a pleasure to be able to perform with the veteran musicians of the
Philadelphia Saxophone Quartet. All of them have distinguished themselves in their learning and achievements within their art,
and have proven themselves countless times in front of audiences of all types of music.”
Warren Fioretti, Tenor Saxophone
Warren has earned respect among New Jersey professional musicians, both for his controlled classical playing and his great
sight-reading and jazz improvisation skills. He has performed with the bands of Les Elgart, Buddy Morrow, Nelson Riddle, Rob
Stoneback, and Brass Transit, and is currently also a member of the SaxPlus Saxophone Quartet, the Brookdale College Big
Band, the Lakewood Jazz Ensemble, and the Georgian Court College Wind Ensemble. Warren has recently appeared in the
backup bands for Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Bobby Shew, Arturo Sandoyal, Bill Watrous, Jeff Jarvis, and the Manhattan
Transfer. Not to ignore his "left-brained" side, Warren has run a successful consulting business as well, having earned his BS
and MS degrees in Mechanical Engineering from NJIT.
Performance Schedule (Updated 10/1/07)
11/10/07, Rhode Island Symphony, Providence, RI
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| Copyright © 2005 Jerry Nowak. All rights reserved. |
The quartet's original members included Harold Karabell on soprano
saxophone, Bill Holcombe on alto, Norman Wells on tenor, and Jerry
Nowak on baritone. The present lineup includes John Bachallis on
alto, Warren Fioretti on tenor, Bill Holcombe on soprano, and Jerry
Nowak on baritone.
The quartet has had an active schedule over the years, performing with
many symphonies throughout the northeastern U.S., including the
Trenton, Portland, New London, Hartford, Springfield, Rhode Island,
Buffalo and Kenneth Square symphonies. They also have frequently
performed at public school and college recitals, community concerts,
recording sessions and clinic presentations.
saxophone, Bill Holcombe on alto, Norman Wells on tenor, and Jerry
Nowak on baritone. The present lineup includes John Bachallis on
alto, Warren Fioretti on tenor, Bill Holcombe on soprano, and Jerry
Nowak on baritone.
The quartet has had an active schedule over the years, performing with
many symphonies throughout the northeastern U.S., including the
Trenton, Portland, New London, Hartford, Springfield, Rhode Island,
Buffalo and Kenneth Square symphonies. They also have frequently
performed at public school and college recitals, community concerts,
recording sessions and clinic presentations.